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California is often thought to be the mecca for "cool." California has three major international cities and such diversity that you can have a snowball fight in the morning and surf in the afternoon. Vacations to California can create family memories to last a lifetime. There are many activities throughout the state that are family friendly.

San Francisco

The first thought most people have of San Francisco is of the Golden Gate Bridge. The iconic bridge is one of many child-friendly activities in San Francisco. Fort Point, a national park, is located at its base for exploration. Another treat for kids is riding the cable cars that run through the city. The kids will love Exploratorium, a hands-on science museum. Officially, the Exploratorium is the museum of science, art and human perception; in reality it's a chance to show families just how cool science can be. You can learn the science behind baseball or learn about music from some famous musicians. The Exploratorium has videos, hands-on activities, listening stations and much more. Pier 39 is considered a shopping mecca, including many stores for families. Along with its Venetian-style carousel, Pier 39 has Wound About, a wind up toy store, Puppets on the Pier, Chocolate Heaven and the Fudge House, and a Disney store.

Typical Weather

California in

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The temperature in California in August tends to be very predictable, so you can generally count on the forecast and travel light.

The temperature in California in August is somewhat unpredictable, so be on the safe side and prepare for a variety of conditions.

The temperature in California in August is highly unpredictable, so use the forecast as a guide, but be ready for anything!

Napa Valley

Generally, Napa Valley is known for its wine, not exactly a kid-friendly environment. Yet even here, you can find things for the family. There are two vineyards that are geared toward the whole family. Sterling Vineyard has an aerial tram available to ride over the vineyard followed by a self-guided tour of the winery. St. Supery has a self-guided tour that includes watching the berries get crushed, rolled and put into the casks to age. It also has Smell-O-Vision, where you can stick your nose into tubes to smell the pungent aromas that go into making red and white wine. Calistoga Geyser is called the Old Faithful of California. While not as impressive as the Old Faithful in Yellowstone, it is quite cool. The geyser's park also includes several petting zoos, including fainting goats and llamas. Fantastico Playground is not just any playground, but a child's dream. With castles, lizards and interactive activities, it was designed by kids and put on paper by architects. The entire community put up the playground in a mere six days, but don't let that fool you into thinking there isn't much there. The area is huge and is designed so that while kids have fun, parents can accompany them if they desire.

Southern California

Southern California encompasses Los Angeles, Inland Empire and San Diego, three of the largest areas in the entire state. Along with more than 300 days of sunshine a year, the region has some of the most kid-friendly activities available.

What do a killer whale, Legos, a mouse, a 60-foot tall gorilla, jam and a rabbit have in common? They all have theme parks in Southern California. SeaWorld and Legoland are located in San Diego County while Disneyland, Universal Studios, Knott's Berry Farm and Six Flags Magic Mountain are all in the Los Angeles area. Each one has different pricing and most could easily take days to explore. Often the theme parks have packages to buy tickets for multiple parks for a discounted price than buying them separately. Adventures in Los Angeles can include the Walk of Fame in Hollywood. On Hollywood Boulevard, it runs from Gower Street to La Brea Avenue. On Vine, it runs from Yucca Sreet to Sunset Boulevard. The kids will appreciate the stars for Big Bird and Kermit the Frog, while you can talk about history using either Thomas Edison's or John Lennon's stars. The La Brea Tar Pits, located west of Los Angeles in Orange County, give a fascinating look into the history of Southern California. The tar pits have unearthed fossils from as far back as 40,000 years ago. The museum with it has skeletons from many animals that live in Southern California during the last Ice Age. While no dinosaurs have been located, they have found remains from sloths, mammoths and even saber-toothed cats. The San Diego Zoo/Wild Animal Park is one of the largest zoos in the world. The zoo itself contains hundreds of animals including giant pandas. The Wild Animal Park features a tram that allows you to drive by roaming animals including giraffes, lions and antelope, a balloon ride to see the whole park, daily entertainment that gives more information about the animals, and even a chance to feed the giraffes. For families interested in the educational scene, there are many museums in San Diego, including a large area called Balboa Park. It has more than 20 museums that range from modern art to aerospace to cars. Also nearby is the San Diego Children's Museum, which is a hands-on art museum for kids.

Images related to California

The Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco, CA at sunset. This photo was taken from the Marin Headlands

Pro and anti-Proposition 8 protesters rally in front of the San Francisco City Hall as the California Supreme Court holds a session in the to determine the definition of marriage (Strauss v. Horton cases).